Care Settings
Home Health Care
Quick answer
Home health care covers skilled nursing, physical therapy, and other services delivered at home for beneficiaries who are homebound and under a physician's care plan.
Plain-English definition
It doesn't cover 24-hour care, meals, or homemaker services.
Why it matters
Home health can help you recover safely at home after an illness or surgery.
A simple example
After surgery a nurse visits twice a week to check your incision — fully covered.
Common mistakes & misconceptions
Related terms
Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF)
A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) provides short-term rehab and skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay. Under Original Medicare, Part A covers up to 100 days of SNF care per benefit period with cost-sharing after day 20.
Hospice
Hospice is comfort-focused care for people with a terminal diagnosis and a life expectancy of 6 months or less. It's covered under Part A, at little or no cost to the beneficiary.
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care after a qualifying stay, home health care, and hospice. Most people get Part A premium-free at 65.
Medicare Part B
Medicare Part B is the medical insurance half of Original Medicare. It covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive screenings, mental health services, and durable medical equipment.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME)
DME is reusable medical equipment prescribed for use at home — walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen equipment, CPAPs, hospital beds. It's covered under Part B when medically necessary.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be homebound?+
Yes — that's a coverage requirement.
Sources & references
📚 Where this information comes from
- Medicare.gov — official U.S. government site for people with Medicare ↗Primary source for benefits, enrollment periods, and plan comparison.
- CMS.gov — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ↗Federal rulemaking, program updates, and official guidance.
- Social Security Administration — Medicare enrollment & premiums ↗Enrollment, premium withholding, and IRMAA determinations.
When you're ready, compare plans on your own terms
See Medicare Advantage plans from the insurance companies we represent, or walk the course with a licensed agent whenever you'd like a second set of eyes.
We help compare Medicare Advantage plans from the insurance companies we represent, and we don't offer every plan available in your area.
Medicare Caddies is an independent insurance agency. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We help compare Medicare Advantage plans from the insurance companies we represent, and we don't offer every plan available in your area.